Casey, Scanlon Lead Push for Answers From HHS & CMS on COVID-19 Relief
PHILADELPHIA ,
April 15, 2020
Today, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon and Senator Bob Casey led a group of members of the Pennsylvania delegation to express concern as to how the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are choosing to allocate the first $30 billion of the Public Health and Social Services Relief Fund created under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. “With Pennsylvania hospitals losing upwards of $1.5 billion a month, your effort to distribute CARES Act funding to providers quickly is appreciated,” the lawmakers wrote. “Future funds should continue to be released expeditiously so that our providers can provide uninterrupted, high-quality service during this historic time. That said, we urge changes in how you determine funding allotments as the allocation of the first $30 billion disadvantages Pennsylvania and many of our key providers in several ways.” This letter broke down three key areas of concern.
“We understand that you plan to address these discrepancies through future allocations of the $100 billion provided under the CARES Act and will seek to achieve rough parity – fairness in this case cannot simply be a goal, it is imperative that you achieve it,” the lawmakers continued. “Through this funding, Pennsylvania has received approximately $50,000 per COVID patient, while other states have received over $300,000 per COVID patient. To promote one group of providers over another or groups of states over others is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.” The complete version of this letter is attached. ### |